This is one of the rare British films that really capture the attitude as well as the shadowy style of American film noir. Trevor Howard stars as Clem, an ex-serviceman bored with civilian life who joins a gang of black marketeers for excitement and money. When he stands up to his sadistic boss Narcy (Griffith Jones), he finds himself the patsy for a senseless murder, and the film develops an edge of desperation and doom as the once jovial heist man becomes bitter and vengeful. When Clem breaks out of prison and a countrywide manhunt fails to stop his journey to London, he becomes (in the best noir tradition) the scapegoat for crimes committed along his escape route. A terrified Narcy goes on a rampage, torturing and murdering to cover up his complicity in the cop killing. Director Alberto Cavalcanti (Nicholas Nickleby) creates a suitably seedy atmosphere of shadowy alleys, foggy waterfront dives, and claustrophobic underground clubs, and matches the dark urban underworld setting with taut direction and tight editing. Howard delivers one of his best performances as the hate-driven criminal wrapped up in emotional scar tissue, a shadow of his former self seeping out in quiet moments. This hard-edged and unexpectedly violent thriller is one of the most impressive and understated British crime films. --Sean AxmakerMore...
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